The Ancestor Hunt regularly adds and updates new collection links, as well as searches for and fixes broken links.
(This page's most recent update is December 2025)
Want to improve your newspaper research skills? Use the resources of the Newspaper Research Academy at Academy
Most genealogists know WorldCat only as “a library search tool,” but in practice, it is one of the most important engines for discovering hidden offline and online genealogical resources. WorldCat connects thousands of libraries, archives, and historical societies into a single database, allowing you to find books, manuscripts, maps, microfilms, and digitized materials that never appear on Google, FamilySearch, or Ancestry.
This Quicksheet shows how WorldCat works and how genealogists can extract maximum value—especially when searching for rare books and local records.
Download the Quicksheet PDF
To obtain a six-page Quicksheet PDF of this information, download it by clicking on the Download button below:
For all the previously published Quick Reference Guides, click on QuickSheets.
Genealogy QuickSheets – Frequently Asked Questions
- 100 Best Free Online Genealogy Websites
- Beyond the Search Engine: Using Google Databases for Genealogy Research
- 64 Genealogy Items to Collect from Your Home
- United States Genealogical and Historical Societies
- 24 Places Where You Can Find Your Ancestors Occupation
- 13 Types of Genealogical Information You Can Find in Old Yearbooks
- 16 Places Where You Can Find Genealogy and Family History Books
- Easy Cousin Relationship Chart